ENGLISH BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLO FOURTH CENTENARY

To mark the four hundredth anniversary of Murillo’s birth, this museum has brought together fifty-five of his works. Universal artist identified with Seville, inter- preting the themes of the city’s devotion, dec- orating some of its most emblematic monu- ments with his paintings, and capturing its residents from all walks of life on his canvases.

The exhibition is organised around thematic criteria reflecting the painter’s personal vision of the religious and civic context in which he lived. His profound, intuitive and eminently humane eye enabled him to render that con- text in an inspiring manner, whether he was painting beggars or nobles. His creative skill and sincere spirituality are also clearly mani- fested in the devotional paintings he produced, which are filled with details of daily life, while his moving conception of the transcendental is

[ 2 ] [ 3 ] conveyed through images that are both highly original and beautiful.

The nine sections into which the exhibition is divided provide a glimpse of the world through Murillo’s eyes: from the religious paintings which introduced such memorable prototypes in the history of art—with a particular exper- tise in the case of the Immaculate Concep- tion—to the social reality of 17th-century Se- ville, a city of paupers and saints, of rascals and wealthy noblemen and merchants who could afford to have their portraits painted by the famous master.

This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to revisit many of his works and discover new ones. Above all, it is a chance to see how Mu- rillo combines his genius use of technical and I. Holy Chilhood compositional devices with the profoundly ten- II. A family der gaze that he casts over his subjects. of Nazareth III. Glory on Earth IV. The Inmaculate Conception V. Compassion

[ 4 ] 1. The Good Shepherd About 1665 Oil on canvas, 123 × 101.7 cm Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid The scene unfolds in a bucolic country setting replete with classical allusions in the form of archaeological ruins. Murillo gave the boy an air of determination, apparent in his firm grasp on the staff. is portrayed as the Good Shepherd, a beautiful and effective evangelis- ing metaphor of Christ. The tenderness of the scene is underscored by the sheep Jesus is caressing, a representation of the Agnus Dei VI. Penitence (Lamb of God) mentioned in the Scriptures, at VII. Storyteller the moment when sees the VIII. Genre painting boy and cries, “Behold, the Lamb of God”. The IX. Portraits imagery of the lamb expresses the obedient submission to the divine plan that would cul- minate in his death on the cross.

[ 7 ] 2. 3. Virgin and Child Jesus Virgin and Child About 1675 About 1670-1680 Oil on canvas, 164 × 108 cm Oil on canvas, 166 × 115 cm Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica, Palazzo Barberini Staatliche Kunstsammlungen y Galleria Corsini, Rome Dresden, Gemäldegalerie alter Meister, Dresde

This Virgin and Child is from Murillo’s late The theme of the seated Virgin and Child period and represents the pinnacle of his against a dark background appears frequently development of this iconographic theme. It and with numerous variations in Murillo’s leaves behind the Tenebrism of earlier decades works, satisfying the high demand for paintings and prefigures Rococo-style painting. The of this type, which expressed a sweet, intimate semi-darkness that envelops the figures of the religious sentiment. Mary’s gaze is different here Virgin and Child in the artist’s first period is from other works on this theme: her eyes are replaced here by an outdoor setting, with turned upwards, and she sighs heavily—per- architectural ruins invaded by vegetation form- haps a gesture of maternal bliss or a premoni- ing the backdrop to the intimate conversation tion of the future grief that will break her heart. between mother and child, interrupted by the spectator’s gaze. This painting is the only Spanish school work in Dresden, intentionally purchased as a Spanish During the 19th century this work enjoyed picture in 1755. During the revolutionary upris- immense fame, as testified by the numerous ings of 1849, the canvas was perforated by sev- copies. It became the icon of the Galleria Cors- eral bullets. News of the mutilation spread to ini, where it was known as The Gypsy Madonna. Spain, where the Madrid newspapers reported the occurrence.

[ 8 ] [ 9 ] 4. 5. The Mystic Marriage Mystical Wedding of Saint Catherine, 1655 of Saint Catherine, Red and black chalk before 1655 on light beige paper, Oil on canvas, 182 × 206 mm 76.5 × 94.5 cm Hamburger Kunsthalle, Museu Nacional Kupferstichkabinett, de Arte Antiga, Lisbon Hamburgo The three figures in the composition were This tender scene shows the Virgin and Child drawn with vigorous red ochre lines on a soft accompanied by the figure of a saint. It is clear outline in black chalk. Mary is situated on the from the X-ray image of the work that Murillo right with the Christ Child in her lap, and in had experimented with a composition in an front of them is Saint Catherine of Alexandria outdoor setting, with the base of column holding the palm frond of martyrdom. The between the two women and a curtain behind saint extends her right hand to the mother and the Virgin, although in the end he opted for a child, reverently touching their hands. completely neutral backdrop. The flat appea- rance of the background strikes an elegant con- For a long time, this drawing was thought to trast with the details in the foreground, evident have been one that Murillo made for his oil in the carmine brushwork of the clothes and painting on the same theme, currently held in even more noticeably in the rapid white brus- Lisbon. However, recent studies suggest that hstrokes that form the transparent veils. it is an academic reproduction, probably by a direct disciple, and it therefore represents an Isabella II of Spain gave this painting to King important examples of the work produced in Louis I of Portugal for his gallery of paintings. the master’s studio.

[ 10 ] [ 11 ] 6. 7. The Infant Saint John The Holy Family Playing with a Lamb About 1670-1675 About 1670-1675 Oil on canvas, 96.5 × 68.5 cm Oil on canvas, 61 × 44 cm The Devonshire Collection, National Gallery of Ireland, Chatsworth Dublín Murillo painted the theme of the Infant Saint The Holy Family at home in Nazareth was a John in the wilderness on several occasions. very popular devotional theme. As a pious, The saintly child is actually portrayed in a homely scene portrayed in an ordinary setting, scene from his adult life, following a figurative viewers easily identified with it. This motif tradition popularised in Europe by prints and lent itself to highly naturalistic interpretations, copies of works by Van Dyck and Reni, artists as Murillo did with this dimly lit interior, cre- who influenced Murillo’s style. ating a scene of great intimacy. This is a mature work in which the artist dis- The saint wears animal skins and a red cloak pensed with precisely drawn contours, com- and carries a cane bound in the form of a posing the fabrics and figures with light, sub- cross. The phylactery hanging from it bears tle dabs of the brush in a manner that is the inscription “Ecce ag[nus Dei]”. The lamb reminiscent of how colour is treated in many is a figurative symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, in of his small sketches and a testament to the reference to the words of John the Baptist degree of skill he had attained by the end of recorded in the Gospel: “Behold, the Lamb of his career. God, who taketh away the sin of the world.”

[ 12 ] [ 13 ] 8. 9. with Saint Joseph with the Christ Child the Child Jesus About 1655-1660 About 1660 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas on board, 164.2 × 108.5 cm 29.7 × 24.5 cm Victor Fedotov Collection BBVA Collection, Madrid In Spain, depictions of Joseph with the Christ The composition of this small-format painting Child multiplied as veneration of the saint is identical to that of the substantially larger spread thanks to the efforts of religious orders. Saint Joseph with the Christ Child exhibited Saint Joseph is consistently depicted as a man alongside. This repetition offers us an oppor- far from old age in Murillo’s oeuvre; the artist tunity to examine Murillo’s creative process by insisted on portraying him in the prime of his identifying the two works at the same time. life, brimming with strength and vigour. This Despite its small size, the fact that it is only iconography of Saint Joseph travelling with the minimally sketched suggests it is not a prelim- Christ Child that was particularly popular in inary study used to experiment with a compo- the early decades of the 17th century and was sition but a complete work in its own right, often rendered in painted wood carvings, and made before or after the larger version. Murillo seems to have closely followed this precedent. In both cases, Saint Joseph is depicted as a vigorous man in his early prime, rather than The scene, a poignant dialogue of gazes and the elderly figure found in most iconographic gestures, underscores Joseph’s dual role as an representations up to that point. earthly father and an advocate who intercedes on the believer’s behalf before God.

[ 14 ] [ 15 ] 10. 11. The Holy Family with The Flight into Egypt the Infant Saint John About 1668-1670 About 1668-1670 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 155 × 125 cm 156 × 126 cm Szépm vészeti Múzeum, Szépm vészeti Múzeum, Budapest Budapest This work forms a pair with The Flight into Murillo had already depicted this iconography Egypt and can be seen as the depiction of a in his youth, around 1647-1650, in a quasi- private moment in the lives of an Andalusian Tenebrist style with certain naturalist features. family. Here Murillo portrayed Saint Joseph The Budapest painting belongs to a later with his carpentry tools, the Christ Child and period, when the master’s style underwent a little Saint John tying two sticks together to substantial change in the use of light and make a cross, and Mary sewing as she watch- colour. His pictorial technique became lighter es the children with a slight smile. The cross and his colours more vaporous. and the phylactery bearing the words “Ecce Agnus Dei” underscore the religious signifi- Murillo portrayed the flight of the Holy Family cance of the picture, which is practically a exactly as it is described by Saint Matthew, the genre scene. The fireplace reminds us that the only evangelist to include in his Gospel the scene is set in a domestic environment, while scene where Saint Joseph is visited by an angel the mountains and clouds visible in the dis- who tells him to flee from Israel with his fami- tance lend depth to the composition. ly. The baby Jesus is the only one looking at the viewer. Rather than depicting an imaginary, idealised child, the artist based his rendering of Jesus on a real model.

[ 16 ] [ 17 ] 12. 13. The Holy Family The Holy Family (The Heavenly and (The Heavenly and Earthly Trinities), sketch Earthly Trinities) About 1670-1680 About 1675-1682 Oil on canvas, 27 × 22 cm Oil on canvas, 293 × 207 cm Cajasol Collection, Seville National Gallery, London

This sketch provides a valuable insight into Murillo captured the theological concept of Murillo’s creative process. In it the painter pri- Jesus who, by virtue of his dual nature, is both marily experimented with the compositional God and man, and therefore belongs to both structure, which presents many similarities to the Heavenly Trinity, along with God the the final version, but there are also a few small Father and the Holy Spirit, and to the Earthly differences. Murillo had already determined Trinity of the family from Nazareth. The Vir- the distribution of the characters, the chro- gin Mary expresses her closeness to the Christ matic base he would develop in the larger can- Child, while Saint Joseph appears as a father vas, and the treatment of the brightest areas. and husband, his direct forward gaze estab- The most noticeable differences are in the lishing a rapport with the viewer. meaningful gazes of the figures in the two ver- sions. These seemingly minor details are in The exquisite rendering of this complex ico- fact quite significant, completely altering the nography and the extremely smooth and trans- reading of the work. The sketch conveys a parent brushwork, blending the forms into the more intimate connection between the mem- background, make this work one of the great- bers of the Holy Family. est achievements of the artist’s final period.

[ 18 ] [ 19 ] 14. 15. The Nativity The Annunciation About 1665-70 About 1660 Oil on obsidian, Oil on canvas, 38.3 × 34.2 cm 125 × 103 cm The Museum of Fine Arts, Museo Nacional Houston, Colección Rienzi, del Prado, Madrid donación del Sr. y la Sra. Harris Masterson III This work is painted on obsidian, a very rare Murillo represents the stage of the Annuncia- support in European painting. A glossy black tion to Mary known as humiliatio (submis- volcanic glass, it probably reached Europe from sion), when she spoke the words recorded by Mexico or Central America. For use as a paint- Saint Luke: “Behold the handmaid of the ing support, it was highly polished on the paint- Lord”. This is the fourth of the five moments ed side and left rough on the reverse. The into which the Franciscan Fra Roberto Carac- beautiful natural veining of the obsidian, ciolo da Lecce divided the episode of the appearing as delicate, milky, vertical stripes, Annunciation: disquiet, reflection, inquiry, sub- gives an impression of divine light falling on the mission and merit. The artist framed this deli- scene. Murillo could have obtained the obsidi- cate conversation in a setting with convention- an panel through his patron Justino de Neve, al architectural devices and allusions to the who had family connections in the Americas. empyrean realm: a table draped in a cloth; on This source is highly likely because De Neve the table, an open book and a vase with lilies also owned two other Murillo paintings on symbolising purity. In the foreground is a sew- obsidian, both now in the Museé du Louvre. ing basket whose contents would have drawn viewers into the scene, making them partici- pants in the Annunciation.

[ 20 ] [ 21 ] 16. 17. The Immaculate The Virgin of the Rosary Conception About 1675-1680 About 1670 Oil on canvas, Oil on copper, 200.8 × 128.2 cm 70 × 54.2 cm Dulwich Picture Gallery, Museo de Bellas Artes, London Seville

Murillo was conversant with more sophisti- cated, less common pictorial media, such as This is the most highly evolved work of all the small cabinet paintings on copper for private versions that Murillo painted of Our Lady of devotional use. The smooth copper surface the Rosary. The earthly carnality of earlier fig- allowed him to precisely define each element urations has all but vanished, and the palette with thin coats of glaze, using less for the is noticeably more varied, the brushwork loos- lighter colours. The agitated brushstrokes er and more volatile, and the ability to convey curve round the forms, as in his large-format emotions and spirituality greatly enhanced. paintings. On the metal surface, the pigments The Virgin is seated, not on a long bench as of his palette take on a pearly sheen, giving was customary in early versions, but on a the work the ethereal, vaporous, hazy-edged throne of clouds. Rather than level with view- look that characterises Murillo’s mature style. ers, here she floats in the celestial sphere; and Copper was undoubtedly an ideal support for the clouds and angels, once absent, have now developing the extraordinary command of the become her throne and footstool. The palette glazes and transparencies that are the hall- of this painting is richer and lighter, a foretaste marks of his finest works. of the luminosity and lightness to come with the Rococo style.

[ 22 ] [ 23 ] Both compositions 20. illustrate mystical The Virgin and Child visions of the saint, in Glory, 1673 highlighting the Oil on canvas, symbol of the 236 × 169 cm Augustinian order: Walker Art Gallery, the offering of the National Museums 18. flaming heart of love Liverpool Saint Augustine pierced by an arrow. and the Trinity This painting was commissioned by the then About 1664-1665 Murillo resolves the spatial archbishop of Seville, Ambrosio Spínola, as the Oil on panel, configuration with light, altarpiece for his private chapel in the Archbi- 250 × 139 cm which he used to create a shop’s Palace. It appears to have been Murillo’s Museo de Bellas contrast between the shad- response to the iconography of the Virgen de la Artes, Seville ows below and the radiance Antigua—to which the prelate was particularly of heavenly glory above. A devoted—a Baroque modernisation of a medie- 19. diagonal line structures the val image. The composition is unique among Saint Augustine two scenes, where the his work: it does not depict a young Immacula- with the Virgin intersecting gazes reinforce te Conception nor a seated Virgin and Child, and Christ Child the illusion that we are truly although it contains elements of both. About 1664-1665 witnessing these mystical Oil on panel, visions of the saint. Natu- In the 18th century, the section of the Virgin 250 × 139 cm ralism is evident in his holding the Child was removed and replaced Museo de Bellas monumental figure, with with a copy. The altarpiece became famous for Artes, Seville tanned skin, and in the this dramatic history and came to be known as masterly depiction of still- “La Vierge coupée”. In 1862-1863 the original life details. central section was skilfully reintegrated into the rest of the canvas. [ 24 ] [ 25 ] 21. 22. Oil study for The Immaculate “The Virgin and Child Conception in Glory”, 1673 About 1675 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 36.2 × 25.5 cm 190 × 145 cm Walker Art Gallery, National Pérez Simón Collection, Museums Liverpool Mexico City

Recent conservation treatment has confirmed This exquisite rendering of the Immaculate that this small oil sketch was Murillo’s pre- Conception was not widely known until quite paratory boceto for the altarpiece depicting The recently, due to the fact that it has primarily Virgin and Child in Glory, which was commis- remained in private collections in different sioned by Seville’s Archbishop Ambrosio countries. Murillo represents a young Virgin of Spínola. Murillo would have painted it to gain radiant beauty in a celestial setting, where she the archbishop’s prior approval, but also to is identified with the religious fervour that experiment with compositional ideas and the swept across Seville in the mid-17th century. pigments he wanted to use. As a result, there The figure conveys a sense of ascending motion are a number of changes in composition thanks to the hands positioned high on her between the boceto and the finished altarpiece. breast and the upturned face, gazing heaven- Most significantly, he added to the altarpiece wards. However, this verticality is broken by the the golden arched vault of winged cherub diagonal movement of the mantle and the angels heads which serves to focus the viewer’s atten- clustered at her feet. Some of them are bearing tion more intently on the faces of the Virgin elements typical of this iconography, drawn from and the Christ Child. the Song of Solomon, such as flowers, the palm frond, the olive branch and the mirror.

[ 26 ] [ 27 ] 23. 24. The Immaculate The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial Conception, “La Colosal” About 1665 About 1650 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 206 × 144 cm 436 × 297 cm Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo de Bellas Artes, Madrid Seville

Although the iconographic model of the Immac- The body of the Virgin, clad in a white tunic and ulate Conception had been established since blue cloak as per Pacheco’s instructions in Arte de the first third of the 17th century, Murillo helped la pintura, traces a diagonal line from the moon, to fix it firmly in the public mind. Over the years deliberating shifting the composition off-centre so he phased out some of the attributes associated that all attention is focused on the triumphant with the Virgin—in the case, the roses and lilies, Madonna. The effect is heightened by the parallel symbols of her purity—but he always main- motion of the three angels below her, while the tained the crescent moon and the halo of sun- voluminous mantle billowing in the wind forms a light. He also broke with the Sevillian tradition, cross-diagonal in the shadow, lending the entire representing her with a white tunic and blue scene a strong sense of dynamic movement. The mantle, as described by Saint Beatrice da Silva radiant white of the tunic and the golden back- in her visions. To this we must add the trium- ground—a reminder that Mary is also the amicta phant, dynamic feel of ascending motion created sole, “clothed with the sun”—banish the system- by the angelic retinue that seems to be lifting atic chiaroscuro of his earlier oeuvre. Mary in the direction of her gaze, inspired by a This commission from the Franciscans, uncondi- fusion of the Immaculate Conception and the tional advocates of this Marian doctrine, occurred iconography of the Assumption. at a time when the city was caught up in a fever of devotion to the Immaculate Conception.

[ 28 ] [ 29 ] 25. 26. Christ Carrying the Cross About 1675 About 1660-1670 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 63.8 × 53.3 cm 119.5 × 142 cm Colomer Collection, Musée Thomas Madrid Henry, Cherbourg Given the widespread devotion to images of Murillo dispenses with props and backdrops in Christ stumbling under the weight of the cross, this painting, choosing to focus solely on the this was a common theme in Spanish Baroque profound devotional nature of the scene. This art and popular among artists in Seville. At the is a particularly poignant work, dominated by time Murillo was painting this landscape of the Christ’s forlorn expression and his submissive- Passion, in his home town at least two confra- ly downcast gaze. The light is soft and hazy. In ternities venerated carvings of Our Lord of the the foreground, the bent arm somehow frames Three Falls. his face. The painting shows Christ’s feelings to stir those of the spectator, but pain is not The image is designed to be viewed from the dramatically depicted: there is hardly a trace of front; Christ’s head is turned fully to the right blood, and his expression is a blend of tender- to look at the Virgin, the intention being to give ness and intense mental rather than physical worshippers who approached the image a fron- anguish. Thanks to its superb composition, tal view of Christ’s face. For the image of the this image was much sought-after and repeat- Virgin, Murillo followed the same models used ed numerous times, as evidenced by various for his famous bust-length Mater Dolorosas. copies and workshop versions scattered across the globe.

[ 30 ] [ 31 ] 27. 28. Mater Dolorosa Ecce Homo About 1670-1675 About 1660 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 64 × 53.5 cm 166 × 107 cm Private collection Private collection

This is one of the most fortunate contribu- This canvas depicts the moment in the biblical tions to Murillo’s oeuvre. The German art his- narrative when Christ, after being flogged, torian Mayer was familiar with this painting crowned with thorns, draped in a purple robe and, in a letter written to its owner, he clearly and given a mock sceptre to hold in his right stated his opinion that it was a Murillo origi- hand, is brought before the Jewish people and nal: “The picture is in my opinion a very fine, pronounces the famous words well preserved, genuine and most characteris- that have identified this scene ever since: tic work by B. Murillo, executed most proba- “Ecce Homo” (behold the man). The Ecce bly about 1668, the period I consider the best Homo motif was the quintessential expression and most powerful of the master.” Yet despite of Counter-Reformation principles. At an early this opinion, the painting has long been date, the theme was abstracted and emanci- ignored by other art scholars. pated from the gospel story to individualise the figure of Christ. It was commonly paired with Its origin is uncertain, but it may have been renderings of the Mater Dolorosa, as separate among the works that left Spain at an early pictures of equal size, in the belief that the date, perhaps in possession of a Flemish mer- contemplation of both figures would increase chant, given its first known location. the piety of the faithful.

[ 32 ] [ 33 ] 29. 30. Mater Dolorosa Christ on the Cross with About 1660 the Virgin, Mary Magdalene Oil on canvas, and Saint John 166 × 107 cm About 1670 Oil on copper, 67 × 47.9 cm Museo de Bellas Artes, Meadows Museum, SMU, Seville Dallas, Algur H. Meadows Collection This image of Mary, alone and without any of Murillo produced several versions of Christ on her customary attributes, may be considered an the cross, but this is the only painting that rep- individual composition for devotional use. It is resents a specific scene narrated in the Gospel somewhat difficult to interpret, since it more of John—the poignant moment when Christ closely resembles a rendering of Our Lady of utters these moving words to the Virgin: “Wom- Solitude than the Mother of Sorrows or Mater an, behold thy son.” He then says to John, Dolorosa, as it has long been known. Our Lady “Behold thy mother.” Mary Magdalene remains of Solitude reflects Mary after the death of kneeling at the foot of the cross, mourning Christ, while the Mother of Sorrows is the Christ’s last moments on earth. Jesus—still image of the Virgin suffering at the moment alive, without the spear wound in his side— when Jesus, having been flogged and crowned turns his eyes towards his mother and John. In with thorns, was brought before the jeering the background of the composition, monumen- crowd. For this reason, the Mater Dolorosa tal for such a small frame, we see the city of often formed a pair with the Ecce Homo. Jerusalem.

To date it has not been confirmed that this ver- The smooth surface of the copper support ena- sion in the museum’s collection was originally bled Murillo to deploy his talent for creating painted as a pair. delicate, painstaking works with a soft palette. [ 34 ] [ 35 ] 31. 32. The Penitent Magdalene The Penitent Saint Jerome About 1655 About 1650-1652 Oil on canvas, 166 × 121 cm Oil on canvas, 190.4 × 135.2 cm Arango Collection, Madrid Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

This Magdalene is depicted with her most typ- The most iconography of Saint Jerome is thoat ical attributes: the skull, a symbol of vanitas and of the penitent, erudite hermit. Translator and meditation on the end of earthly life; the cross, scholar of the Holy Scriptures, for his valuable representing her personal devotion to Christ contributions Jerome is considered one of the and his suffering; the book of the Gospels, an fathers of the Church and honorary cardinal. instrument of reflection and prayer; and her For his work, he is venerated as the patron saint best-known attribute, the ointment jar. Mary of translators; and for his exemplary life, he is Magdalene was a favourite saint of the Coun- acknowledged as a saint by the Catholic, Ortho- ter-Reformation because her life of sin and dox, Lutheran and Anglican churches. repentance clearly illustrated the efficacy of the sacrament of penance, vitally important to Murillo used sharply contrasted yet naturalistic Catholics and vociferously denied by Protes- effects in this painting, something that can only tants. The saint’s brightly lit figure stands out in be understood in this young period because of the gloom of the cave, in a strong chiaroscuro his familiarity with Ribera’s pictorial method. atmosphere that denotes the artist’s familiarity Observing the pastose brushwork and treat- with the dramatic lighting of Zurbarán’s works. ment of light, one can understand why it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two masters. The light falls on the most signifi- cant parts of the scene, leaving the superfluous elements in shadow. [ 36 ] [ 37 ] 33. 34. Saint Peter Saint Philip About 1675-1680 About 1675-1680 Oil on canvas, 105 × 92 cm Oil on canvas, 105 × 92 cm Galleria Nazionale, Parma Galleria Nazionale, Parma

This Saint Peter and the painting of Saint Phil- Seville’s Baroque painters frequently depicted ip belong to the only complete extant apostola- biblical series, and apostolados were especially do in Murillo’s oeuvre, though neither its attri- valued for their catechising and artistic merits. bution to the master nor its provenance have They always served the same purpose, being been fully clarified. However, it is important to vivid reminders of the “pillars” of the Church, note the influence that this apostolado left on as these monumental compositions, inserted Sevillian painters, which would appear to con- in architectural settings, became genuine sym- firm its former presence in the city and associ- bolic “atlantes”. ation with the painter’s work. The powerful visage of this Saint Philip and The strong, lifelike face of Saint Peter, one of his energetic, penetrating gaze, typical of a por- the finest pieces in the group, has its roots in trait painted from life, remind us of the boldest Ribera’s print of The Penitence of Saint Peter, apostles of Ribera’s youth, and the same natu- made in 1621, and is an example of how Muri- ralism is apparent in the book and the hands. llo continually resorted to stylistic and techni- Perhaps the most striking feature of this paint- cal devices that he had used with great success ing is the exceptional human type, which has in his early years. no parallel in the rest of the series or in any other apostolados by Murillo’s closest followers.

[ 38 ] [ 39 ] 35. 36. Christ after The Prodigal the Flagellation Son Feasting About 1670 About 1660 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 153.7 × 175.3 cm 104.5 × 135.5 cm Krannert Art Museum, National Gallery University of Illinois, of Ireland, Dublin Champaign The widespread presence of this parable can The iconography of Christ gathering his gar- be explained by the Counter-Reformation ments after the flagellation was a popular sub- interest in underscoring God’s mercy through ject in 16th and 17th-century Spanish religious the forgiveness of sins. Recreating the dissipat- literature. Many mystics regarded this tragic ed lifestyle of the wayward son gave artists an scene as one of the most significant moments excuse to compose showy banquet scenes, of the Passion. much more grandiose in the case of Murillo’s European contemporaries. These scenes Considered an eloquent reminder of Jesus’s almost invariably include elements such as humility and acceptance of suffering, this dra- musicians, servants, an abundance of costly matic scene was widely venerated, and some food and drink, and beautiful women in luxu- believers even formed associations dedicated to rious gowns, all easily associated with the idea the adoration of Christ at this particular of sinful living, though depicted with an obvi- moment in the Passion story. In Seville, the ous moralising intention. Confraternity of La Columna y Azotes (the Col- umn and Lashes) had—around the same time The composition denotes a diligent study of Murillo painted this canvas—a sculpture of this space, in which Murillo uses light to play with motif among its sacred images, known as the the perception of depth. Christ of the Purple Robe.

[ 40 ] [ 41 ] 37. 38. The Prodigal The Marriage Son Feasting Feast at Cana About 1660-1665 About 1669-1673 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 27 × 34 cm 179 × 235 cm Museo Nacional The Henry Barber Trust, del Prado, Madrid The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham The numerous extant bocetos by Murillo illus- The painting represents the occasion of trate the importance of these small paintings Christ’s first miracle, when he turned water in his workshop’s production processes, into wine. Murillo created an expansive com- whether as preparatory sketches, samples for position featuring more than twenty figures showing to clients or ricordi. This sketch con- wearing a rich variety of colourful clothing. tains virtually all the same elements as the They inhabit a grand and solemn architectural final work, albeit with some modifications that space whose strong verticals are balanced by subtly alter the reading of the scene, such as the horizontals of the table. The bridal couple the interaction between the prodigal son and is placed in the centre of the scene, picked out the courtesan, who are positioned closer and by a beam of light. The stoneware vessels, with gazing in slightly different directions. Murillo the bright sheen of their damp surfaces, are of minimised the ostentatious show of vices and a type particularly associated with Seville. lust, incorporating subtler allusions to sin Murillo emphasised Christ’s miracle by plac- through the courtesan and the banquet. ing them exactly on the central axis of the painting.

[ 42 ] [ 43 ] 39. 40. The Adoration of the Magi The Martyrdom of About 1655-1660 Saint Andrew Oil on canvas, About 1680 190 × 146.1 cm Oil on canvas, 123 × 162 cm Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid The Virgin presents the new-born Babe to rep- Murillo demonstrated his narrative skills in a resentatives of each generation and continent, small format in this case, quite rare in his represented metaphorically by the Magi as the oeuvre for works of this complexity. In this three ages of man and the three continents martyrdom scene, an infrequent theme in his known at the time of Christ’s birth. Murillo output, Saint Andrew’s rapture is very similar dispensed with the drama and part of the lav- to the ecstatic expression of his Immaculate ishness and excess we find in works by paint- Conceptions, underscoring the saint’s jubilant ers like Rubens, concentrating instead on the triumph at the prospect of his imminent attitudes, interactions and emotions that fill ascent to heaven rather than his suffering on every corner of the scene. As a master of col- the cross. Murillo reinforced the strong sense ouring, he knew how to combine and contrast of upward motion with the lines of the cross a rich palette of complementary hues. This arms, the visible tautness of the body, the colourful harmony, heir to Zurbarán’s finest direction of the gaze and the gradually lighten- work, and the naturalism of the human figures ing palette that leads the viewer’s eyes up to make this one of the most attractive composi- the dazzling light just above the martyr’s hands. tions of his early mature phase.

[ 44 ] [ 45 ] 41. 42. Saint Didacus of Alcalá A Peasant Boy Leaning Feeding the Poor on a Sill About 1645-1646 About 1670-1675 Oil on canvas, 173 × 183 cm Oil on canvas, 52 × 38.5 cm Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes National Gallery, Londres de San Fernando, Madrid This is a work from the series for the Franciscan Murillo paid special attention to these charac- monastery that represented Murillo’s first intro- ters which had previously played only a minor duction to Seville patrons. The canvas, in which role in European painting, especially in the the influence of Velázquez is undeniable, repre- Spanish context. He gave these anonymous fig- sents Saint Diego or Didacus of Alcalá, a lay ures individuality, prominence and dignity, pre- brother from the town of San Nicolás del Puer- senting them as people with feelings and the to in Seville province, handing out sopa boba ability to express them. In this particular case, (slop or gruel) to the beggars who came to the the broad, expressive smile on the boy’s face gates of the friary seeking charity. It is a scene contrasts with his shabby attire. taken from the daily reality of Seville’s most impoverished residents and one that would sub- The composition is quite simple, yet even in sequently inspire the master’s genre paintings. this small canvas Murillo managed to create an impression of great depth through the use of Charity is personified here as a woman with one light, the boy’s pose—very close to the view- breast bared, preparing to suckle the child in er—and the view in perspective of the sill that her arms. Murillo internalised the message of delimits the space and subtly separates the the Franciscan legend, “Mira en el pobre a bright exterior from the gloomy interior. Dios” (see God in the poor man), and dignified the figure of the beggar, making him the focus of his compositions.

[ 46 ] [ 47 ] 43. 44. Four Figures The Young Fighting on a Step Cock Trainer About 1655-1660 About 1660 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 109.9 × 143.5 cm 54 × 40.4 cm Kimbell Art Museum, Colección Abelló Fort Worth, Texas The quest for the meaning of this remarkable The animation with which this painting was work has yielded contradictory hypotheses, from conceived is one of its most salient features. The those who argue that it is simply a family observ- theme depicted is undeniably bold: a boy point- ing something going on in the street, to those ing directly at the viewer with an acute fore- who associate it with the practice of prostitution. shortened arm. The mischievous, mocking smile In any case, the piercing gazes of the two young on his face prompts us to wonder—with some people and the old woman with her enormous discomfort—what or who he is laughing at. spectacles, a common device in Baroque paint- ing, brazenly beckon the viewer to join them. The luminosity and novelty of the theme is accentuated by the bright colours of the boy’s The fashionable attire of the young man and the clothing and the picturesque dark feathers rest of the figures—with the exception of the adorning the cap on his head. That ornamental conspicuous tear in the sleeping child’s trou- detail led Angulo to identify the subject as one sers—bespeak a higher economic, if not social, of the colourful characters who populated the station. Murillo reused the models he created, world of cock fights, the reason for the title by such as the smiling youth with the hat who may which the painting is still known today. very well be the protagonist of The Young Fight- ing Cock Trainer.

[ 48 ] [ 49 ] 45. 46. Domestic Scene The Little Fruit Seller About 1655-1660 About 1670-1680 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 143.7 × 109 cm 144.3 × 107.6 cm Bayerische Staatsgemälde- sammlungen, Bayerische Staatsgemälde- Alte Pinakothek, Munich sammlungen, Alte Pinakothek, Munich It seems plausible to associate this work with This is one of a series of works in which Muri- the old Spanish saying: “Child with lice, healthy llo depicted children from the streets of Seville and handsome; child without, weak and sickly.” who, despite their poverty, seemed to lead a The theme is particularly widespread in Dutch happy, pleasurable life. The painter’s tender painting, which Murillo could have seen in pri- rendering was intended not only for simple aes- vate collections in Seville. thetic pleasure but to arouse the sympathy of the viewers, from a higher social class, towards Murillo adopts an innovative approach to chil- the children in the picture. Miguel Mañana, a dren and childish behaviour by putting them at close friend of Murillo’s, popularised a positive the centre of his compositions. In spite of the vision of poverty. accompanying still-life elements in this painting, the focus is firmly placed on the figures and their The technique employed in this work is differ- activity, which are further accentuated by the use ent from his other paintings of children: the of light. The scene unfolds in a humble dwelling chiaroscuro effect is less pronounced, making although it is not an impoverished household, as the shadows appear much softer. According to details like the bell on the dog’s collar and eye- certain interpretations, this picture is an allego- glass on the old woman’s bodice clearly reveal. ry of autumn.

[ 50 ] [ 51 ] 47. 48. Old Woman Boys Playing Dice and Boy About 1670-1680 About 1665 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 147 × 107 cm 148 × 114 cm National Trust Collections, Gemäldegalerie der Dyrham Park, The Blathwayt Akademie der bildenden Collection, Gloucestershire Künste, Vienna On one level the work can be interpreted as a One of the outstanding characteristics of this roguish scene because it includes some of the painting is the warmth of the light that bathes the ingredients typical of such compositions: inter- scene. The believable gestures of both boys, con- action through looks and gestures, food as the centrated on the game, are clearly individual por- primary concern of the needy, and laughter as a traits rather than repetitive archetypes, while the catalyst. However, it can also be interpreted small details are worthy of the finest still-life from a moralising or satirical perspective, as a painter. Murillo situated the children in an out- critique of greed: the old woman is selfishly door space, quite possibly an attempt to replicate pulling the dish away to avoid sharing it with the the poorest slums and old city walls of Seville. It boy, who taunts her for miserliness. is a location virtually identical to the ones we find in works such as Invitation to a Game of Argolla, According to a third interpretation, the boy’s Old Woman and Boy and The Little Fruit Seller. wide grin revealing a full set of teeth mocks the cruel passage of time and the age of the woman Murillo cleverly transforms an inconsequential who, toothless and with a sunken mouth, can street scene—reflecting the everyday poverty and only eat soft, mushy food like porridge or soup. underlying world of marginalisation and depriva- tion— into an attractive pictorial composition.

[ 52 ] [ 53 ] 49. 50. Invitation to a Game Self-Portrait of Argolla About 1655-1660 About 1665-70 Oil on canvas, Oil on canvas, 107 × 77.5 cm 165.2 × 110.5 cm The Frick Collection, Dulwich Picture Gallery, New York, gift of Dr and London Mrs Henry Clay Frick II

The game of argolla, mentioned in literary works Murillo appears here as a gentleman rather than of the Spanish Golden Age, consisted in hitting an artist. He is nearing forty, a time of his life a ball through a hoop driven into the ground. In when he was beginning to be a renowned paint- this painting, a young rogue, his face superbly er. The artist portrayed himself set in stone. foreshortened, tempts another boy to join him This was the support of painting in classical in the game, perhaps hoping to play for the antiquity and was a prestigious material because bread the second boy is tactlessly devouring, or of what was represented on it. It was also at least share it. The society of the day took a extremely durable. The choice of the oval for- dim view of the world of play, and the work may mat and the trompe-l’oeil effect in this work are therefore have moralising connotations. directly related to northern European innova- tions in portraiture. This type of street scene, even in Murillo’s life- time, delighted northern European patrons, This was the most widely known portrait of the eager to own or take home a unique souvenir of artist until the early 20th century and is consid- the essence of 17th-century Seville, a city of ered to be one of the self-portraits inherited by contrasts. his son Gaspar.

[ 54 ] [ 55 ] 51. 52. Portrait of Juan Portrait of Antonio de Saavedra, 1650 Hurtado de Salcedo, Oil on canvas, Marquis of Legarda 135 × 98 cm About 1664 Oil on canvas, Collection of the Duchess 238 × 185 cm of Cardona Colomer Collection, Madrid This is the earliest known example of a portrait This portrait is unique in Spanish Baroque por- signed and dated by Murillo. At the top two traiture and in Murillo’s oeuvre. The model putti hold tablets with the nobleman’s age and emphatically posed as a hunter and the impos- the year in which the canvas was painted. The ing presence of nature mark it as a singular fictive stone frame is a device he often used in composition. Associated with Velázquez’s por- bust-length portraits and even self-portraits. traits of members of the royal family as hunters, The chosen typology and the identity of the the painting shows a nobleman who wanted to sitter mark it as the first in a series of portraits advertise his upward social mobility by adopting that reflect the subjects’ ties of friendship and the iconography of the aristocratic huntsman patronage with the artist as well as their social typical of the Habsburgs ambitions. The lengthy Latin inscription is the most convincing proof of the connection We know from the records that have survived between this nobleman and the artist, for that for several years until 1664 Antonio Hurta- Murillo included a frank admission of his grat- do de Salcedo resided in Seville in Calle Vidrio, itude and sincere regard for Saavedra. not far from the house where Murillo lived at the time.

[ 56 ] [ 57 ] 53. 54. Portrait of Andrés Portrait of Íñigo Melchor de Andrade y la Cal Fernández de Velasco About 1660 (Madrid, 1629-1696) Oil on canvas, 200 × 119 cm 1659 Oil on canvas, 208 × 138 cm The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Louvre Museum, Painting section, Paris Little is known for certain about this figure, The subject of this portrait, a member of the although the setting in which Murillo painted Spanish high nobility, was the eighth Constable him seems to indicate that he was a leading of Castile and seventh Duke of Frías, and in citizen of Seville. He has been identified as 1661 he joined the Order of Santiago. In 1668 pertiguero or marshal of processions in the he served as governor of Flanders, and in 1676, cathedral, an office which required his active twenty years before his death, he was appointed participation in public rites and ceremonies. high steward to King Charles II. Murillo probably painted this portrait during his sojourn in Madrid. His dashing looks and fine clothes give an impression of calculated elegance. Moreover, He situated the subject in an outdoor setting Murillo subtly incorporated other details in the with some of the elements he had used in other picture to advertise the subject’s elevated portraits, such as the column on a high pedes- social status. The presence of the dog is in tal, the balustrade and the lavish drapery that keeping with the tradition of court portraiture accentuates the Baroque spirit of this depiction. in Spain, while the coat of arms on the wall The black silk attire with grey highlights is a and the eloquently massive architecture rein- prominent feature of the composition, while the force the idea of a wealthy nobleman. abundant clouds in the luminous background serve to offset the austerity of the figure.

[ 58 ] [ 59 ] 55. Portrait of Josua van Belle 1670 Oil on canvas, 124 × 102 cm National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin Josua van Belle (1637–1710) was a Dutch shipping merchant and art collector from Rot- terdam who lived for a time in Cadiz and Seville. Murillo painted his portrait shortly Murillo is so full of subject, so dramatic, before his return to Holland. and comes so home to, and appeals so to the common sense of mankind, and is recommended by such a magical Almost certainly a full-length portrayal origi- fascination of colour, that he captivates nally, it has long been considered one of the alike the learned and unlearned, the sure test of his undeniable excellence. artist’s finest portraits. A connection to the tra- dition of Dutch portraiture has been suggest- A Handbook for Travellers in Spain and ed, arguing that Van Belle may have referred Readers at Home, Richard Ford (1840) Murillo to formal Dutch sources present in Seville. It has also been associated with the Flemish tradition of court portraiture in Spain, based on models established by Rubens and Van Dyck and continued by Velázquez and Carreño. Murillo had a chance to study these when he visited Madrid in 1658.

[ 60 ] Organiza Diseño expositivo Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla Francisco Bocanegra Directora Diseño gráfico María del Valme Muñoz Rubio PeiPe S.L. Comisarios Producción y montaje Ignacio Cano Rivero Ypuntoending S.L. María del Valme Muñoz Rubio Transporte y montaje de las obras Coordinación SIT, grupo empresarial S.L. Departamento de conservación Seguros e investigación Poolsegur | Vadok Arte Ignacio Hermoso Romero Rocío Izquierdo Moreno Iluminación Lourdes Páez Morales José Manuel Flores Miguel Ángel Lora Departamento de difusión Ignacio Cano Rivero Coordinación de seguridad Virginia Marqués Ferrer Manuel Campos Ramírez Restauraciones Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla Alfonso Blanco López de Lerma Fuensanta de la Paz Calatrava Mercedes Vega Toro Equipo externo Macarena Pinto Miranda María Jesús Zayas Cañas María del Carmen Álvarez Delgado Miguel Domínguez Jiménez